Tens of thousands of first-time buyers and families are set to benefit from new homes as the government unlocks surplus railway land for development. Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander has
announced the creation of Platform4, a new property company that will deliver up to 40,000 homes over the next decade, including 15,000 within five years.
The move will see disused goods yards and industrial sites transformed into thriving neighbourhoods featuring homes, shops, hotels and green spaces. Cities such as Manchester, Newcastle, Nottingham and Cambridge will be among the first to benefit.
Unifying efforts for greater impact
Previously, London and Continental Railways Ltd and Network Rail’s property team managed surplus rail land separately, leading to delays and missed opportunities. Platform4 will merge these functions, creating a single organisation with greater scale and efficiency. This is expected to generate £227 million in additional value by accelerating development and attracting private investment.
The company will play a key role in the government’s Plan for Change, which aims to build 1.5 million homes nationwide. It is expected to unlock £1 billion worth of developments and attract over £350 million in private sector investment while generating thousands of jobs.
Early projects already underway
Four priority sites have already been earmarked:
Newcastle Forth Goods Yard – up to 600 new homes
Manchester Mayfield – around 1,500 new homes
Cambridge – a mixed-use development with 425 homes
Nottingham – 200 new homes following the successful 348-home Barnum project
Together, these projects will deliver more than 2,700 homes on brownfield land.
Leadership and long-term vision
Bek Seeley, an experienced regeneration leader and former head of Lendlease’s European development arm, has been appointed as Chair of Platform4. She currently chairs the Euston Housing Delivery Group and brings a strong track record in large-scale urban regeneration.
Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander said:
“Platform4 will breathe new life into disused railway land, delivering tens of thousands of homes while reviving communities around stations and driving economic growth.”
Deputy Prime Minister and Housing Secretary, Angela Rayner, said:
“We are facing a housing crisis which has led to a generation being locked out of homeownership, all while land sits empty and disused across the country.
We said we’d do everything possible to get Britain building, and that’s why today we’re setting out how we’ll get more homes built across surplus railway network sites in line with our brownfield-first approach and our Plan for Change target of delivering 1.5 million homes”.
Profits from Platform4 will be reinvested into Britain’s railways, supporting improved services and infrastructure while delivering better value for passengers and taxpayers.
Bek Seeley, Chair of Platform4, said:
“Platform4 will deliver on key government priorities, creating new homes and jobs and stimulating economic growth. Working alongside our partners and local authorities, we will create sustainable places that bring communities and customers together and leave a positive legacy for future generations”.
Ian Hoad, CEO of Keepmoat, said:
“We are delighted to welcome Heidi Alexander, Secretary of State for Transport and our partners from Network Rail to our Heaton Quarter Development in Newcastle, to announce the launch of Platform4, which will help to unlock the delivery of thousands of much needed new homes cross the UK.
Keepmoat is one of the UK’s leading partnership homebuilders and over 80% of our current developments are on brownfield land, so we recognise the huge potential of unlocking more unused railway land to support the delivery of new homes. We are looking forward to continuing to work with our partners to play our part in supporting that delivery”.
Helen Gordon, CEO of Grainger plc, said:
“Platform4’s launch, with its focus on brownfield railway sites, is most welcome. These well-connected locations are ideal for delivering the high-quality, sustainable homes we need. Our partnership with Network Rail, delivering rental homes, highlights how public and private collaboration can accelerate housing delivery, boosting economic growth and vibrant communities”.
Neil Jefferson, CEO at the Home Builders Federation, said:
“The public sector can play a key part in providing the sites for the homes the country needs and we welcome moves to bring more of this land forward for development. Doing so will help address our chronic housing crisis, allow young people to access decent accommodation, create tens of thousands of jobs and generate investment in infrastructure and amenities in communities across the country”.
British Property Federation said:
“The formation of this new development company is a welcome move that releases surplus and under-utilised public assets to generate an investable return, helps to stimulate local regeneration and economic growth, and aids housing delivery. We hope the company will have a transformative impact on local communities across the country”.